Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-01

clones never heard of earthquakes never
experienced, and a failure of crops some
thing that has never been chronicled by
| the honest historian. No matter what the
season, with proper care in preparing the
| SOIL seeding and cultivation, good crop
is sure to follow. This, to great extent,
is due to the fact that the system of irrigat-
| ing lands in this county, which cost the
early miners millions of dollars, is the most
complete in the State, and with irrigation
the soil can be made TO produce crops and
growths astonishing 10 behold. and far
beyond the belief of farmers who live east
of the Rockies, and who are 10th to believe
what is actually done in this glorious
climate" Those canals, since the decad-
ence of placer mining, have fallen into the
hands of the sturdy agriculturist, and now
each farm has its own water right. Farm
ing in Ell Dorado county is still in its in
fancy, and there is home demand for
most of the products, save cheese, fruit,
wool and wine. There is now steady in
crease in her farm products from year to
year, and certainty that in the near fu-
| ture large surplus will be credited to her
enterprising farmers.
THE DAIRY INTERESTS.
The dairy interest is large one, and, in
the main, very profitable. Those engaged
in this business are possessed of two
ranges-one in the lower foothills for win
ter use, and another upon the Sierras, at an
altitude of from 5000 to 5000 feet, where
stock is driven after the feed dries up in
the spring on the lower range. The sum-
mer ranges are usually covered with snow
until April and May, and when this dis
appears the most luxuriant grasses and
| flowers spring forth and keep green through
out the summer. 1t is at the summer range
where the butter and cheese for which
| this county is Justly famous is made. With
| judicious management and the growing of
an alfalfa field small diaries in the foot
| hills are operated with great profit without
removing the stock to summer range.
| Those who are engaged in dairying in Ell
| Dorado county say that it can be carried
on with less expense and greater profit than
in any of the States in the Mississippi val
| ley.
FRUIT AND WINE.
! The central portion of the county, say
midway between the snow line and the
western border, seems to be especially well
adapted to the growth and perfection of the
grape, also to the various citrus and all
other kind of fruits which are produced in
variety and great abundance The fruit
produced in the neighborhood of Coloma,
! Lotus, Granite Hill, Mud Springs, Dia-
mond Springs, Mission Flat and Placer
| vile, is equal to that produced in any
other part of the State, and commands the
best prices in all the markets of the coast.
! Fruit-growing in the foothills Of Ell Dorado
| is a business that it seems impossible to
overdo, especially where choice fruits are
made specially, as there really is no limit
to the demand for it, either in green,
dried or preserved state. The ruggedness
| OF some OF the country in the upper portion
of the fruit belt, and where also all kinds OF
generals and root crops are grown with
great profit, must look quite uninviting to
man just from the Western prairies, but
I there is very little of it that cannot be made
more productive, acre for acre. than any
land in the State of Illinois or Iowa, and
can be converted into pleasant, profitable
and beautiful homes by the industrious
agriculturist.
Undoubtedly this is one of the most in
viting fields for the industrious, frugal EN-
igrant, with moderate means, to be
found on the Pacific coast, and many
have within the past year located there.
Land is yet cheap, though annually
increasing in price, and there is much
\ that may yet be secured by pre- emf ton
and homestead; the climate is healthy,
. and home in this county is as desira-
Il bic as in the most favored land on earth.
Fl, Partly improved lands, in localities
. easy of access and near public school,
"a can be procured for from Sc TO SD per
~ acre, and unimproved lands range from
"a 81 % 10 s. per acre.
"A TRAVELLING FACILITIES.
~ The Sacramento and Placarville Rail-
Nj road, continuation of the Sacramento
Al Valley, the first road built in the tate,
Al now runs to Shingle Springs-a point
VI ten miles west of Placerville-and will
III be continued to the couI ty seat no
vi doubt early next season, and from that
FL point to the timber belt in Pleasant
I'll Valley. A narrow gauge is talked of
IT,, from Rocklin, in Placer county, to
S,E9 George own, on the northern divide.
"a This road will in all probability, be
I'D built during 1887. and will open up an
~ excellent fruit al grl in belt, m lbing
III shipping faci tiles cheap and much
81 mere complete than at present. The
al timber belt on the George owa divide
IS Gppa emily inexhau t'be and this
K alone will give the road all it can do in
sszz the transportation line, saying nothing
"a of the line interests which it will also
- open up.
. During the mining days, when the
3 population was dense and money was
plenty, elegant schoo-housas were
built in every district in the county,
and in that respect FL Dorado county will
compare favorably with any countysin the
State Placerville and Georgetown both
have graded schools under the supervision
of an able corps of experienced educators.
Among the products of this county are
lime, marble, copper and iron. The lime
quarries are the most valuable in the State,
and have been successfully and proitably
worked since 1858. They are located in
what is known as Cave Valley, on the
Georgetown divide, and are of unlimited
extent The building of the narrow-gauge